Under the Rose
by Blackened Wing
Summary: Kaname and Zero have a fight and Zero storms off, only to end up in deep trouble with a couple of cruel aristocrats who want to teach him his place. Will Kaname listen to what Zero said, or what his heart is saying? Attempted non-con.
1. To Prove You Wrong

**Under the Rose  
**by Blackened Wing

**Rating:** M

**Summary**: Kaname and Zero have a fight and Zero storms off, only to end up in deep trouble with a couple of cruel aristocrats who want to teach him his place. Will Kaname listen to what Zero _said_, and stay away, or will he listen to his heart and go looking for him in time to save him?

**Warnings:** Violence, blood, implied nudity and attempted rape. Please note the warnings, as parts of the story are very dark. If non-con situations or violence disturb you too much, please don't read.

**Pairings:** Kaname x Zero, OC x Zero (non con)

**A/N:** This little story is entirely the fault of my wonderful reviewers. So many folks were requesting a straight up Kaname-saves-Zero scenario in my story _"C__rimson Door"_ that it got my muse going and this story is the result. This is not set at any specific time or location. The only thing that's important to assume is that Kaname and Zero are already an item. The title of the story is taken (again) from a H.I.M song of the same name. The chapter titles are all taken from the song's lyrics as well. Please take a moment to look up "Under the Rose" lyrics on Google, because then you'll know why I chose these titles. The song fits rather well with the story I think. :) Story doesn't have a lot of plot, I'm afraid, it's pretty simple, but it's all about the hurt/comfort. ;)

**Disclaimer:** Vampire Knight and its characters do not belong to me. They belong to their inspired creator Matsuri Hino. I borrow them without permission, but with great affection. This story is for entertainment purposes only; no money is being made from it.

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**Chapter One: "To Prove You Wrong"**

Wind tossed the treetops in the dark park, a precursor of the coming storm. Below their shifting, rustling boughs, there was a different kind of storm already in progress.

A teenage boy with silver hair stalked angrily across the recently mowed grass of the lush, sprawling park. The formal dinner jacket he was wearing clashed oddly with the multiple piercings he was sporting and the large tattoo on the side of his neck.

In contrast, the tall dark haired young man catching up rapidly behind him looked completely natural in the formal evening wear, as if it were a second skin to him.

"Zero, what is the matter? Stop acting like a child..." A hand landed on Zero's shoulder, halting him and trying to turn him around.

"Stay the hell away from me!" Zero spun around and gave his companion a sharp shove in the chest. The dark haired vampire gave a step back, but caught the ex-human's wrist and jerked him close.

"Calm down and quit making a scene!" Kaname hissed, giving Zero a rough little shake. He was already well on his own way to being just about as angry as the hunter and was not at all in a mood to be taking any of Zero's trademark attitude. Zero had stormed out of the party like an injured bull and Kaname had been caught in the awkward position of either letting him go off in a huff, or chasing after him. The fact that he had chosen the latter would no doubt cause all kinds of talk. Put plainly, Zero had just embarrassed the hell out of him in front of his friends and associates.

Zero jerked his arm futilely, trying to get it away from Kaname's strong grip. "Let go of my arm, Kaname, or I'll _show _you making a scene!" he growled angrily, throwing an ill advised punch at his sometimes-lover.

Kaname easily caught Zero's other arm before the blow could fall, holding both wrists now. It was probably a good thing or he would have been very tempted to punch back. "If you're incapable of acting like a mature adult, at least tell me what the hell you're so angry about?" the pureblood demanded.

Zero glared at him, a deep, raw undercurrent of hurt hidden beneath the seething anger in his flashing silver eyes. Like Kaname didn't _know_? And if he really didn't... then that hurt even worse.

"I told you I didn't want to go to this event in the first place, but you made me," Zero said instead of answering. "It's not like anyone wanted me there. That's _your _circle, Kuran. _Your _scene. Not mine. So just... go back to your friends and forget about it, all right?"

Kaname's scowl darkened as a thread of pain wound through him. He hated the way Zero was always pulling away from him, always acting like he wanted nothing to do with the pureblood's life. "_I _wanted you there," Kaname shot back. "Why isn't that enough for you?"

"Well it's just not!" Zero was struggling again to be let go. He was hurting, angry, and lashing out the only way he could. "You don't _own_ me, Kaname! I don't have to put up with you acting like you do! And I don't have to hang around like set dressing to be the butt of everybody's jokes!"

The beginnings of understandings dawned on Kaname. "Zero, is this about what Ryo said? Forget it! He's an ass who thinks he's funny; you can't let people like that get under your skin..."

Zero's eyes flashed with deep hurt that he couldn't completely hide. Sure, he knew. He knew he should expect all the ex-human and hunter jokes that were whispered not so-quietly whenever he was nearby. He understood that it was natural for everyone to assume that because he was accompanying Kaname, he was some kind of servant or slave. So what? He didn't give two damns what that brood of bloodsuckers at the party or anywhere else thought of him! It wasn't like he _wanted _to fit into the vampire world after all. What he _did_ give a damn about though... was what _Kaname_ thought of him.

"You laughed," Zero growled, his voice deceptively quiet. Maybe he was overreacting, but after everything else it just... it was too much. "You laughed just like everyone else."

Kaname blinked in surprise. "Zero... I didn't... I mean..." He released one of the hunter's wrists and ran his hand through his hair in frustration, suddenly angry with himself. "_God, _don't take it so personal, I was just being polite." It was a weak excuse and he knew it. The truth was that he didn't see Zero as an ex-human. He was just... _Zero. _Unique and completely special. He hadn't been thinking of the hunter when the stupid joke had been told, and... okay... it _had_ been kind of funny, but...

Zero shrugged like he didn't care and twisted the wrist still caught in Kaname's grip.

"Right. Sure." He knew that deep down, Kaname really had thought the joke was amusing. Knew that even if it wasn't conscious, the pureblood had the typical vampire mindset that said Zero was below him – some kind of lower life form. _That_ was what hurt.

"Like you were just being _polite_ when you told that Shoji guy that I was your _slave_" Zero wasn't about to calm down. The whole night had been one thing after another and he hadn't felt this miserable in a long time. "Or didn't you think I heard that? I may _only_ be an ex-human, Kaname, but I'm not _that _deaf!"

"Now you're just being stupid!" Kaname snapped in irritated disbelief. "I never said any such thing."

"Oh yes you did, you told him very clearly. _'Kiriyu belongs to me' _I heard you say those _exact_ words. _he's__ mine'. _Well guess what, Kaname. I'm _not!_ So get your _filthy _pureblood hands off me, or I swear I am going to try to hurt you!"

Zero had pulled the Bloody Rose from under his jacket with his free hand, the chain flashing dully in the starlight as he pressed the muzzle flat against Kaname's chest.

Kaname wasn't afraid of the gun. He could easily take Kiriyu's arm off before he could even pull the trigger, and he knew Zero wouldn't really use it on him completely unprovoked. But the fact that he was even playing so dangerously told how upset the hunter was.

Kaname's eyes flashed darkly. _That _was what Zero was so upset about? Because Kaname had said he was his? Because Kaname had been _protecting _him?! Hurt seared through the pureblood's chest at Zero's violent rejection.

"Fine. If that's how you feel, then go. Do whatever the hell you want," the pureblood said in short, clipped tones, releasing Zero's arm with a small shove. "And don't come back."

Zero shoved the gun back into his belt and stepped back a pace, rubbing his aching wrist, eyes locked on Kaname for a minute. His heart burned painfully.

"I don't intend to! Go back where you belong, Kaname and let me do the same," he rasped more hoarsely than he intended, backing away a few stumbling steps before he turned and jogged off into the darkness of the park.

Kaname didn't follow this time; he stood staring after the hunter and wondering what had just happened. Had he really just told him to not come back? Zero wouldn't really do that, right?

_Zero... _the pureblood realized he was clenching his fists so tightly at his sides that his fingernails were digging painfully into his palms. Turning on his heel, Kaname stalked back towards the distant lights of the gazebo and the party still in progress down by the lake. He didn't remotely feel like speaking to or seeing anyone anymore, but he had to go back and act like nothing had happened, for Zero's sake as much as his own. Nobody could know about the true nature of their relationship, they would both lose way too much creditability in their respective worlds.

_Damn _it all... why didn't Zero even _try _to understand him? The ex-human's words echoed in his head. _Filthy pureblood... __Go back to where you belong... _Kaname's jaw clenched angrily. Fine. He'd do that. And if and when Zero ever wanted to see him again, he could try acting more like a rational adult and less like a petulant child.

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Zero lost himself in the far reaches of the darkened park, stomping through the trees and trying to settle his mind and calm down. Maybe he'd overreacted a little. Normally the stupid jokes, the slights, the subtle and not so subtle derision aimed at him from higher class vampires would have rolled off his back. But... he couldn't get the casual tone that he'd heard Kaname use out of his head. _Oh him?_ _He's mine. _Like Zero didn't even have a name, like he was his dog or something. Was that how Kaname really saw him? He knew his and Kaname's relationship was not like anything that could be quantified as _normal _but he'd be damned if he became another one of the pureblood's _possessions._

_Don't come back._ FINE. He freaking wouldn't! He didn't need this... Zero felt like it was hard to breathe.

He was so troubled it took him a minute to detect the presence of the other vampires until they were quite close. There were two of them, a brunette and a blond. Both were male, neither was familiar. Zero's hunter senses told him they were aristocrats. They were dressed like they had probably come from the party, but Zero hadn't seen them there. He and Kaname had arrived rather late to the event actually, so it was probable that these two had skipped out for some private fun prior to their arrival.

Zero froze, eyes narrowing and hand automatically sliding under his jacket for his gun again. Not because the two men were vampires, but because of what they were doing.

They had a human girl trapped between them. She was dressed like a jogger and wearing a sweatshirt with the logo of a nearby university on the front. Probably a student working out the stress of a midnight cramming session with a moonlight run in the park. Unfortunately, tonight had not been a good night to be alone in the dark.

The brunette vampire was holding the young woman's back against him, one hand clamped over her mouth to muffle her screams and to pull her head to the side, baring her neck. The blond had his hands underneath her sweatshirt, pushing it up to expose her body. The woman was struggling fiercely, but was of course no match for her attackers.

"Hey now, relax... this won't hurt a bit..." the blond murmured darkly, leaning in to mouth one side of her neck while his companion took the other. The woman gave a small, muffled squeal of terror as she felt the sharp points of their fangs on her skin, obvious disbelief and panic written across her face.

"Now, now... he said _relax_..." the brunette mocked, and he must have done something because the girl slackened in his arms. She was obviously still awake, but no longer struggling as the blond started to pull down her bra and the brunette started to bite her.

"Let her go!" Zero demanded harshly, holding the Bloody Rose level, a steady bead drawn on the closest vampire's head. "Now!"

The two vampires looked up slowly, more annoyed than alarmed. The shine in their eyes said they were both somewhat drunk. They'd sensed Zero approaching of course, but he was another vampire and an ex-human at that, so they hadn't paid any attention. Someone of his station had no business interfering with the affairs of nobles and they looked at him like he was nuts.

"Get out of here, _'D_," the brunette said dismissively, using the derogatory term for ex-human with which Zero had come to be quite familiar by now.

"Yeah, before we report you to your handler," the blond agreed with irritated arrogance.

Zero was not impressed. "I said _let her go_, or I'll blow your heads off," he said with deadly calm, cocking the gun in his hand.

The two vampires laughed, but it turned into yelps of surprise and pain as Zero fired a warning shot that neatly nicked the blond's head, taking part of his ear off. He wasn't looking to kill anybody, he knew better than to cause that kind of trouble without a very good reason, but he did intend to let them know he was serious.

"Why you friggin' little toad...!" the blond seethed, stumbling back and clutching his bleeding ear. There was murder in his eyes and he started to lunge forward, but his companion stopped him, catching his arm.

"Forget it man, it's not worth it," the brunette said, nodding meaningfully towards the gun Zero still had leveled on them. The brunette shrugged and shoved the girl towards Zero. "You want her? Take her."

The blond sputtered in sheer rage, but his friend just squeezed his arm and gave him a meaningful look. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The blond scowled, but stopped arguing. "Yeah, something stinks around here anyway," he sneered, shooting Zero a venomous look before the two of them trailed away.

Zero caught the trembling girl as she stumbled and nearly fell. He watched the two vampire's retreating backs warily for a moment before he turned his attention to their victim.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked gently as she nervously tugged her shirt back down quickly, half-clinging to her unknown rescuer. The young woman was shaking like a leaf, but looked otherwise unharmed. She hadn't been bitten, but she knew how close she had come and looked at him with eyes full of terror.

"T-They were vampires..." she rasped like she couldn't believe it. "I'm not crazy, mister, I'm not! They were gonna..."

"Shhh..." Zero soothed, holding her gently. "It's okay now." He tucked his gun back under his jacket and cupped the back of her head with his hand. With his other hand, he took out a small bottle that looked like smelling salts and uncorked it, holding it up under her nose. She started to protest that she was fine, but the instant the fumes hint her senses she fell silent and slack.

"It was all a bad dream," Zero murmured. "None of it was real. You're going to jog right home now, and get some sleep. It was a normal night, a normal run in the park, nothing happened..."

"Nothing happened..." the woman repeated blankly but peacefully.

Zero almost felt a little guilty, but it was best this way. The secret existence of vampires had to be protected, and this girl didn't need these memories anyway.

He watched as the woman jogged away, unaware of how close to death she had come that night. Zero capped the bottle and put it back in his pocket. He didn't actually _need_ the special salts in order to perform memory alteration, but it made the whole process a lot faster and easier.

Zero wondered who those bozos had been. Kaname was gonna be pissed when he told him about this... Zero stopped himself. Considering they weren't currently on speaking terms, he wasn't likely to be telling Kaname, any time soon, was he?

Zero's hunter senses suddenly screamed, but not in time for him to get out of the way as something heavy struck him in the back and sent him sprawling. He immediately went for his gun, but his arms were yanked behind his back. Zero bucked hard with strength that his attackers weren't expecting. He rolled over, struggling and punching at the lethally strong body trying to pin him. It was the brunette vampire from before. A hard punch caught Zero in the stomach and knocked the breath out of him as he finally managed to draw his gun.

The blond vampire was back too, and he kicked Zero sharply in the side of the head and in the elbow, making pain shoot down Zero's arm and causing his fingers to scrabble numbly at the grip of his weapon. It slipped free, falling to the grass and skittering a few feet away in the course of the struggle. The blond snatched it up and before Zero even realized what was happening, he heard the tell-tale click and felt a horrible pain tear through his shoulder.

Warm blood oozed from the hole punched through his shoulder and Zero's senses reeled in pain. He struggled to clear his head from the devastating effects of the weapon as the brunette jerked him up to his feet. It was one of the drawbacks of being a _vampire _hunter. His own weapons could be turned against him as well.

_Stupid __stupid __stupid! _Zero shouldn't have gotten caught like this, he should have known they'd given up too easily and were probably planning something of this nature. Whether he realized it or not, he was perhaps too accustomed to dealing with vampires under Kaname's influence. Vampires that might act up, but generally obeyed the rules. These were definitely not such a pair. They were out for blood and _fun _tonight. Zero had robbed them of their first prize, so they intended take their sport out on him instead.

The blond, the side of his face still coated in blood, smirked darkly as he gave the gun in his hand a look and then let it drop back to the grass. He obviously didn't really like handling it, despite its effectiveness. "Anti-vampire weapons smart, don't they 'D?" he growled, reaching forward and gripping Zero's wounded shoulder tightly.

Zero grit his teeth in pain as the vampire's fingers dug into the injured flesh.

"Not as much as you're gonna!" Zero spat angrily. He slammed his elbow back into the brunette's gut, trying to wrench away, despite the pain.

The brunette's arms tightened bruisingly around Zero's chest and suddenly Zero felt something strange coming over him. His limbs felt odd and heavy, his muscles weak and sluggish. It was like being injected with a very strong tranquilizer. He realized that it was the brunette. This debilitating numbness must be his power. Zero had seen him use it on the girl, and now he was feeling the effects himself. He tried to fight, but he couldn't, his body wouldn't obey.

Panic set into Zero's gut for real as his body slackened complacently in his captor's grip.

"That's better..." the vampire behind him murmured darkly. "I think the 'D needs a lesson in how dangerous it is to play with guns. Don't you, Masaki?" he inquired with malicious intent.

The blond, Masaki, nodded. "Oh yes, definitely. As well as a lesson in how to respect and obey his betters..." he agreed, reaching forward and sliding Zero's ruined dinner jacket roughly off his shoulders.

Zero winced, but was otherwise incapable of struggling as Masaki peeled him out of the jacket and grabbed the neck of the white dress shirt underneath. The shirt was stained crimson down one side by the blood leaking from Zero's shoulder. Masaki gave a sharp jerk downward, tearing Zero's shirt open and popping off buttons as he shredded the fabric.

His companion quickly nuzzled the ripped collar out of the way, sucking and mouthing the un-tattooed side of the hunter's neck.

"Get. Away. From me," Zero ground out through his teeth, his voice one thing he still managed to control. But the other two just laughed.

"You need to learn your place, 'D. Don't worry, we'll make it really clear for you..." the brunette murmured with dark, evil promise as he helped his friend strip Zero out of what remained of his shirt. Masaki's fingers curled around the hunter's belt buckle, starting to slide it loose and Zero scowled darkly at them, struggling sluggishly, like one well drugged.

"Go suck a pig," he spat angrily, lashing out verbally since he was physically incapable. Terror was pounding through him, but he was trying not to give it expression.

"Alexander... do something about his smart mouth, will you?" Masaki asked distractedly as he worked Zero's belt free and unfastened the hunter's trousers.

Alexander licked Zero's neck. "No, I want his neck, _you_ do something about it..." he purred.

Zero tensed as he felt Alexander's fangs sink sharply into his neck. He'd not been bitten by anyone but Kaname in a very long time. With Kaname... it was intimate and intense. This... was a disgusting and painful violation.

"Leave me to do all the hard work..." Masaki grumbled and straightened up, grabbing Zero's hair and yanking his head back so that his mouth was forced open. Masaki caught him in a rough, punishing mockery of a kiss, fangs and teeth tearing sensually but cruelly at the hunter's lips and tongue and savoring the taste of his blood.

Zero twisted and growled darkly but hopelessly as the two vampires pressed against him from in front and behind. Masaki squeezed his wounded shoulder hard, making Zero scream softly into their brutal kiss. Zero's knees felt weak, his weight now only supported by the vampires mauling him.

Alexander slid his hands into the waistband of Zero's slacks and pushed them down his hips. Zero's heart was racing and a sickening flush of humiliation crept up his body as they stripped him down completely. There was no mistaking their intentions and Zero felt a raw, bubbling well of fear churning in his stomach, along with rage and indignation.

Masaki's sharp nails raked down his body, leaving deep, oozing cuts across his chest and sides. They would have their fun with this impudent ex-human, and there probably would be very little left of him by the time they were done. Masaki dropped his head to the other side of Zero's neck. The tattoo didn't taste too good to lick, but he bit Zero anyway, drinking deeply. The boy's blood was good. _Really _good. Surprisingly so for an ex-human. Masaki wondered what and who the boy had been drinking to end up this tasty.

Zero, blood dribbling down his chin, tipped his head back in dizzy agony as the two vampires drank from him at the same time. They were gorging too roughly, too demandingly and enough blood wasn't making it to his brain. His head spun and lights flashed like falling stars before his eyes.


	2. Want Back Home

_A/N: __Well, last chapter on this one. Hope you all enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the awesome reviews! Individual review responses can now be found in my __ffnet__ forum – check my bio page for more details. _

**Chapter Two: "Want Back Home"**

Zero felt numb and sick by the time the two aristocrats yanked their fangs free from his neck and threw him to the ground. He smelt the scent of moist, freshly mowed grass as his face was shoved roughly into the turf.

"This is where you belong," Alexander hissed darkly in his ear as he climbed over Zero's back, straddling him. He gave the ex-human's head another vicious shove into the earth. "Groveling before your superiors and waiting to be used, like a good little bitch. Your master should have taught you that."

Fingernails raked sharply down Zero's back and two mouths roughly lapped and traced the welling lines of blood. Unforgiving hands jerked the boy up to his hands and knees. Zero was too weak, had lost too much blood to support himself, and he crumpled back to the grass. That didn't please his assailants who dragged him back up again.

"Stay there!" Alexander ordered, but Zero was dizzy, in pain and he sure as hell wasn't very motivated to obey. He sagged back to the ground again.

Masaki reached over and picked up Zero's belt from the discarded pile of clothing. He grasped the buckle and wrapped the strap once around his fist before whipping the long tail viciously across the boy's unprotected back.

The leather stung and bit like a line of fire across his naked skin. Zero jerked and choked back a cry. This amused his sadistic captors and Masaki struck again, and again. He laid into Zero cruelly, whipping his back, shoulders, buttocks, and thighs – anything in reach as they held the struggling hunter down. The vicious blows raised dark welts and bruises on the pale skin and as they landed repeatedly across the gaping wound to the back of his shoulder, they soon had Zero shrieking helplessly in pain.

"When we give you an order, you do it!" Masaki growled, finally stopping but still keeping the buckle end of the belt curled threateningly around his fist as Alexander dragged Zero up to hands and knees again. "Now you stay there, or I'll take the hide off you, got it?"

Zero's body was trembling from pain and blood loss. The anti-vampire wound he'd taken had stripped away the advantage of his vampire healing and he was starting to go into shock. But yes, he understood, and he was too weak and in too much pain to bring any more hurt down on himself just out of spite and stubbornness. He forced his shaking arms to support him, head hanging down in pain and shame, his ragged breaths shuddering in his chest. _Please... please don't let this really be happening..._

Alexander knelt behind him, Masaki near his head, and Zero heard them both unzipping. He pressed his eyes shut, desperately wishing he were somewhere else. _Kaname... where are you? _Something raw and vulnerable deep inside his soul cried out for the pureblood. It was a weak, childish instinct perhaps, but he couldn't help it.

Zero _knew_ where pureblood was though. He was back at the party, far away from Zero, just like Zero had told him he wanted. Zero had burned that bridge. Kaname wasn't going to be looking for him. No one was. He was in this hell alone. And he'd probably die that way.

Alexander knocked Zero's knees further apart and grabbed his hips, jerking him back roughly. Zero's fingers dug into the earth and he groaned sharply through desperately grit teeth. The brunette vampire hissed in pleasure and his fingers dug harshly into the soft flesh of the hunter's hips.

Masaki tangled a fist in Zero's hair and dragged his head up. "This is what you're good for, 'D. Don't you _ever _forget it," he hissed. "You bite me, and I will cut yours off," he warned. He jerked Zero's face to his groin and Zero desperately screwed his eyes shut again, wishing he were already dead.

Suddenly a bitter, frozen chill descended like a falling curtain – so cold it almost seemed to make the grass crack and the trees shudder. The light of the stars seemed to blot out entirely under a veil of unnatural darkness and every hair on the back of the three vampires' necks raised. Stark, unreasoning fear permeated the darkened glen like a malevolent physical presence.

Zero recognized the sensation a moment before the others and ironically, though his weakened body shivered like the other two did... it wasn't fear he felt, but a sharp, almost painful little flare of hope, even though it mingled with a deep, burning spike of shame.

Masaki was thrown onto his back by an invisible punch of kinetic energy slamming into his chest and a swift moving dark blur tore Alexander off of Zero and threw him down on the grass beside his accomplice.

Kaname's eyes were wild and feral as he stood over them, gaze shooting between where Zero had collapsed in a bloody curl on the grass and where the two objects of his extreme wrath now cowered. The pureblood looked taller than usual, wrapped in a stormy dark aura like a flowing cape of night, eyes burning like red coals in the darkness.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing?!" the enraged pureblood's voice was a lethal, animal snarl. "How _dare _you?!" Kaname was so angry he was almost unrecognizable. _**"How dare you?!"**_

The two nobles were completely and justly terrified. They didn't know Kaname personally, but everyone knew _of _him, and of course they were immediately aware that he was a pureblood.

"K-Ku-Kuran-sama... we-we were just t-teaching this 'D his place..." Masaki babbled in terror, apparently not realizing that he was simply digging his grave even deeper.

If looks could kill, Masaki would have become a smoking crater on the spot. Kaname's eyes bored into him with violent disgust and hate.

"His _place?_" Kaname's voice was quiet now. Oh so quiet. Somehow that was even more frightening than him shouting.

Kaname reached down and grabbed a fist full of Masaki's hair, fingers curling harshly at the base of his neck as he jerked him up to his knees. "His _place_ is at my side, you miserable, bigoted, _maggot_ excuse for a vampire!" Kaname backhanded Masaki sharply across the face with each word, fracturing cheekbones and jaw.

The noble grunted and whimpered in pain, but didn't try to get away. He didn't dare try to run from a pureblood.

Kaname dropped him and turned his glare upon Alexander who cringed visibly. "This boy is _mine_, do you hear me?" Kaname seethed, grabbing the brunette's chin tightly. The fingers of the pureblood's other hand extended to long, wicked razor claws and they tore a sharp, jagged line through Alexander's shirt and flesh to emphasize his point. "MINE. Do you understand what that _means?" _ He demanded.

The abjectly terrified look in the two vampire's eyes said that they did.

Zero was too weak and dizzy to do much more than lay where he had fallen, but a small finger of warmth ran through him at the pureblood's words. It was weird... he'd been so mad at Kaname for saying that exact same thing earlier, but just at the moment... the possessive protectiveness in pureblood's voice warmed him.

"Good, then stay there!" Kaname snapped, stalking away from the two aristocrats and making his way over to Zero. His fingers returned to normal and his face gentled completely as he knelt by the hunter, abject sorrow and horror threading through his dark eyes as he took in the state of his lover's body. He touched the hunter's shoulder with utmost, aching tenderness. Quickly, Kaname shrugged out of his jacket and tugged off his shirt, using both to cover Zero's naked body and wrap him against the chilly night air.

Zero curled into the protection of the fabric, still warm from Kaname's body and rich with his scent. He would never have admitted it in a million years, but it made him feel very safe.

Kaname touched the silver hair gently, his eyes aching with things he had no idea how to say. The pureblood rose, turning back towards the other two vampires, and there was no hint of gentleness in his eyes now.

"Get up," Kaname snapped the order in a completely disgusted tone of voice and the two nobles scrambled to obey. They started to do up their pants, but Kaname shot them a dark look. "I didn't say you could do that. Leave it." There was murder in his eyes when he looked at them and they could see it.

"Scratch yourselves. Both of you. Use your claws," Kaname ordered. As one, Masaki and Alexander obeyed with trembling fingers, hesitantly drawing their own claw-like nails across chest and arm respectively and wincing in pain. They had no choice. The compulsion for complete obedience was hard-wired into their beings. If a pureblood commanded, they had to obey, no matter what he told them to do.

Kaname's face was hard as stone. "Again. Deeper," he ordered. "Faster. All over your bodies. Don't stop."

The vampires looked at him in horror, but they were already obeying, claws ripping and tearing at their own flesh everywhere as they shredded skin and clothing with howls of pain and pleas for mercy.

Kaname watched them, completely unmoved. They wanted mercy, but they had given Zero none. They had... _oh god... _it made him almost physically ill thinking what they had been doing. They were miserable blots on the face of vampire existence and he felt absolutely no sympathy for them at all.

"Kaname..." the weak sound of Zero's voice quickly drew the pureblood's attention. Zero pushed up on his elbow with difficulty, hugging Kaname's coat to him. The pureblood was kneeling by him in an instant, arm sliding around the ex-human's shoulders to support him.

Zero was looking at Alexander and Masaki with wide-eyed, fascinated horror. Their clothing was shredded and stained completely crimson; their bodies and faces were swiftly turning into a bloody mess. They shrieked as they fell on the ground, still clawing themselves compulsively. Zero had never before realized just how deep the power of the purebloods really went. No wonder Kaname had been confused as heck in the early days, wondering how Zero could find the chutzpa to bare his fangs at the pureblood and defy him.

"Kaname, please..." Zero murmured, glancing towards the two vampires with a compassionate cringe. He hated them for what they'd done, but he couldn't stand to watch this. Surely they had suffered enough. "Stop them."

Kaname frowned slightly as he glanced back towards the two aristocrats. He didn't feel they'd suffered near enough for what they had done. They didn't deserve to live.

"Kaname..." Zero repeated, realizing with a shiver that Kaname fully intended to let the two vampires kill themselves. _That_, he couldn't abide. Not on his account.

Kaname saw that in Zero's eyes, and relented. Carefully, he gathered up the remains of the hunter's clothing, as well as his gun, and then scooped Zero up in his arms, holding him gently as he turned back to the two writhing, screaming vampires bleeding all over the grass.

"All right, stop now," Kaname said coldly and their bodies slackened with pained relief, curling in agony on the gory lawn. Kaname hugged Zero to him protectively. "I want you to know it is only for his sake that I've spared you," he told them. "_I _think you're despicable worms who disgrace our entire race, but you're lucky that Kiriyu is more forgiving than I am. You owe him your lives, don't ever forget that."

Kaname started to move away. "And don't _ever _let me catch sight of either of you again," he added as he disappeared with Zero into the trees.

After that, Kaname thought no more about the two aristocrats, his attention focusing down onto Zero. The boy was trembling in his arms. The fact that Zero wasn't protesting being carried told how weak he was and how badly he was doing. Kaname bowed his head, letting his cheek rest lightly against the top of Zero's head.

"I'm sorry, Zero," he whispered quietly, his voice hoarse now. "I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have let you go... I should have gotten there sooner..." an agony of guilt was painted in his tone.

Zero shook his head weakly against Kaname's chest. He was too drained to try to pretend that he didn't feel the infinitely warm comfort of the arms holding him. "You came," he murmured faintly, an almost-smile touching his lips. His voice said that was enough. "I didn't think you'd come after me again. After... what I said..."

Thunder rumbled and a light patter of rain started to fall upon the rustling leaves and fresh cut grass.

Kaname's arms tightened around Zero, his chest aching so fiercely it was hard to breathe. He hunched over a little, shielding Zero from the weather with his body. "I'll always come after you," he promised softly. "Although I'm sure sometimes you'll probably hate me for it..." It was his turn to smile faintly. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"What about the party?" Zero murmured. "They'll talk."

Kaname snorted. "To hell with the party and those narrow-minded snobs. Let them talk all they want."

---------------------

With vampire speed, Kaname had Zero out of the park before the rain really started to fall. He took him to a penthouse apartment that the pureblood owned nearby. He hadn't used it in a while, but it was good for when he had business that required him to stay in town, and it was closer than the school. Besides, they needed to be somewhere private right now.

Kaname filled the large Jacuzzi in the master bathroom with warm water and tenderly unwrapped Zero from his coat and shirt. The fabric had started to cling to the raw, bloody welts and the matted mess of his shoulder and Kaname stopped when Zero whimpered unintentionally through his teeth in pain.

Kicking off his shoes, Kaname climbed into the filling tub with Zero, clothes and all, still holding the hunter tenderly and letting the warm water loosen the sticky bond between fabric and wounds until he could ease the clothing away without causing Zero pain.

The warm water felt good on Zero's abused body, even though it stung and burned in his cuts and scrapes. His shoulder was an unholy mass of fire and he had hidden, inner injuries that were also making themselves known.

Zero resisted the sharp sting of tears as the pain of his wounds brought back those terrible minutes in the park. The cruel eyes and bodies of his assailants, the hopelessness and fear, the feeling of absolute worthlessness... The salty drops escaped silently from the corners of his eyes, sliding down the sides of his face. He kept his eyelids clenched tightly closed; as if he could deny that the tears were his.

Kaname's gentle hands moved along Zero's body under the water, soothing dried blood away from the cuts crisscrossing his chest and using whatever magic it was he possessed to try and dull some of Zero's pain. There was no physical ache that could match what he felt at the sight of the silent tears on the hunter's face. Kaname carefully cradled Zero's head to his shoulder, his cheek pressing softly against Zero's.

Zero felt the pureblood shudder, and felt a wet warmth that was not the rising bathwater fall upon his shoulder. Kaname was crying too.

Zero's hand slipped up weakly out of the water, cupping Kaname's cheek reassuringly. Kaname smiled faintly. Ironic, that Zero was trying to comfort _him_, but so typical of the boy's nature.

"Hey... you know... your clothes are never gonna be the same..." Zero murmured, deflecting hurt with sarcasm as he usually did.

Kaname reached up and squeezed Zero's hand. "I'll get new ones. Zero..." his throat was so painfully tight. Gently, he nudged Zero's face to the crook of his neck.

"Drink now..." Kaname murmured. "Everything'll be okay," he promised. Kaname knew Zero had been waiting, despite how he must be hurting for blood with the extent of his injuries. Waiting until they were somewhere safe. Somewhere where he wouldn't be putting the scent of Kaname's blood into the air while there were other vampires about.

Zero waited for no further invitation. He was starving and in a world of pain and he knew that what Kaname offered would help. Hungrily, but with about all the strength of a half-drown kitten, he bit down on Kaname's neck, drawing the much needed blood from his lover's veins.

Kaname sighed softly in contentment and pleasure at the sensation of Zero's mouth on his neck. He ached at feeling how weakly Zero was drawing, but he could tell it was already starting to help. His fingers combed softly through Zero's wet hair.

"How'd you find me?" Zero murmured finally against Kaname's neck, between slow draughts.

"I couldn't stand the party anymore. I went looking for you. I figured you were long gone, but I thought perhaps you might still be in the park. Then... I felt something, terribly wrong..." Kaname whispered back. His fingers ghosted to the side of his throat, and Zero knew he meant that he'd felt it in their bond. The pureblood shivered softly. There was no way to describe the horror and urgency that had flooded him as he searched the park frantically for Zero's trail and then... he'd smelled the blood and heard the horrible, heart stopping sound of distant screaming. The scene he had come upon... it would haunt his nightmares for years to come. So close. So close he'd come to losing Zero, and the hunter had suffered so much cruelty...

"I'm sorry..." he repeated again, bowing his head against Zero's.

"Wasn't _your_ fault," Zero assured after a minute, taking a break and leaning his head against Kaname's shoulder. He didn't want to drain Kaname too much. He was starting to feel a little better. "I was the stupid one who let them get the drop on me. They were harassing a jogger. I told them to cut it out and they didn't take too kindly to that," he explained wearily.

Kaname leaned down, gently licking and kissing Zero's injured shoulder, urging the nasty wound to heal. It'd been made by the hunter's own anti-vampire gun and was no doubt going to take its own sweet time to mend, but at least Kaname could take the pain away for a while. "You should have let me kill them," Kaname muttered against Zero's skin. "They deserved it."

Zero gave a small smile, shifting with a wince to let Kaname get better access to his wound. The pureblood's touch was easing the pain immeasurably. His fingers threaded up into Kaname's thick, curly hair. He silently relished just being close to the pureblood and feeling the soothing, caring warmth of his touch, replacing the horrible memories of the past hour.

"Maybe," he whispered. "But I didn't want to see you do it, not for me," he admitted. "You're better than them." Zero's fingers wound tighter in Kaname's damp, dark locks.

"They said... that was all I was good for," he admitted faintly. He didn't know why he was confessing that, but the ache in his chest was too much to keep inside. Zero swallowed.

Kaname's head slid up so he could look at Zero, his eyes burning with just how much he begged to differ with that imbecilic opinion. "All the more reason you should have let me kill them," he rasped softly. "That's a horrible, horrible lie."

Zero nodded slowly. "I know." But it felt good to have Kaname say it. "I'm sorry I was a jerk earlier."

Kaname smiled and leaned down to give him a soft kiss. It was about as unusual to hear Zero apologizing as it was for him to do the same. The boy must be really be out of it still, but given the circumstances, Kaname was more than drawn to reciprocate.

"You weren't a jerk. _Ryo_ was a jerk, and I was a jerk for not being more considerate. But Zero..." Kaname sighed. "I honestly didn't mean to make it sound like you were my slave when I was talking to Shoji. You have to understand, Shoji is an old letch and a leach with a fondness for pretty boys. He was looking you up. Those two _worms _in the park aren't the only one of their ilk. There are a lot of aristocrats who feel that it is their _right_," Kaname's voice tensed in controlled anger. "To take whatever they want from those of..." he stopped, suddenly not sure how to put it without insulting Zero.

"Lower station?" Zero supplied in a dry mumble. He was very, _very _aware of that sentiment right now.

Kaname nodded with a sad wince. "Yes. It's not right, but it's the way things are." He cupped Zero's cheek tenderly, an anguished protectiveness burning in his dark eyes. "I know you can look out for yourself, Zero. But I couldn't stand the thought of him trying to touch you. So... yes, I told him you were mine. Because I knew he wouldn't dare lay a hand on you if he knew you were under my protection," Kaname whispered softly. "I'm sorry if you thought I meant anything else."

Zero leaned up carefully to capture another soft, warm kiss by way of reply. Yeah, he understood now. That didn't mean he probably wouldn't bristle just as sharply again the next time Kaname referred to him that way, or especially if someone _else_ did. But just at this moment... it didn't feel so bad to have Kaname call him his.

Kaname slipped his arm around Zero's shoulders, supporting him carefully, as he kissed the hunter back, caressing cut and swollen lips with the utmost tender care.

Outside, rain pattered on the windows, thunder rolled and lightening crashed as the storm lashed the city. But inside, it was comfortable and warm, and safe.

THE END


End file.
